A Ring Meant for a King
by Yandere Shoujo
Summary: A sidequest story around Chapter 5/6. Dino wants to make a ring, an absolute masterpiece and Noctis complies. A light romance. Dino has no character slot, good job website.


A/N: *vomits ideas violently and continuously*

Huuurgh this game is so gay- I mean good!

A Ring Meant for a King

The days were getting shorter. Noctis was by no means a morning person, but he still got up early or else Ignis and Gladio would make him get up. He could tell, as darkness began to settle over Galdin Quay, that the days were getting shorter.

Though royalty, Noctis and his party didn't have royal money. So they practically lived at the caravan with how often they rented it out. With the abnormally frequent rain, not even Gladio complained when spotting the camp site sitting in the distance, blue flames never ceasing and runes forever pulsing a light of safety.

As a black sky approached all too fast, Noctis walked along the extensive board walk to the hotel and diner. He and his party had become separated. Gladio at the small convenience stand, Ignis minding the kitchenette, and Prompto along the beach, snapping pictures along the shore.

There was still no ship to Altissia in sight, but that was to be expected. Though when heading to visit his feline friend with expensive taste, he happened upon someone else bending down, stroking the cat slowly between its ears.

"Do you live here man?"

Dino, the reporter with an accent Noctis had never heard before in his life, gave him a shark toothed grin.

"Could say the same for you Ince-nay. What? No entourage backing you up this time?" Dino said as he stood, straightening his back and showing his true height.

The man was always sitting when they spoke, never giving Noctis the option of looking _up_ when their eyes met.

"Uh, they're around." Noctis leaned his head toward the sound of Prompto cheering as he got some nice shot he would no doubt show him later.

"Betta for me then. C'mon, let's walk for a bit."

Noctis only hoped it wouldn't take too long, but nodded in agreement.

Dino remained silent until they'd reached the end of the board walk and stepped down to the expansive beach. Galdin Quay was always a sight to see, but Noctis focused his attention on Dino. Gone was the smug expression he wore like his own skin, but his eyebrows were furrowed. One hand was placed on his hip, the other across his mouth as he looked down, thinking.

"Ya see…" Dino finally spoke. Removing his hand to cross his arms.

A breeze wafted by, carrying the scent of salt and freshly prepared dinners from the restaurant. He closed his eyes, breathing in and opened them to look at Noctis.

"The pieces I create, beautiful. But… I want ta make somethin' special. Something I'd never sell. Sounds kinda weird from a businessman like myself eh?" Dino chuckled as he gestured to himself at his chest. "But, I've just been getting this… this ache ya know?"

Noctis, who had remained silent, tilted his head. " _Nooo_ I actually don't know."

"Ya see it's like- er, It's like there's this thing scratchin' at the back of my head. Tellin' me that there's something greater I should be goin' for. A way to, really leave a mark. Feel me? I want to make a piece so perfect, that it can get its own book. A real work of art. Kind of like how your lady to be's dress is. Nothin' like it in the whole world and people love it so much it's on freakin' _display_."

Noctis pondered this as he thought of an answer. He wasn't exactly the artistic type, but he did have fishing. And it would bring him no greater pride than to catch the biggest, never been caught before fish in the world.

"Yeah. I guess I can understand that."

"My man." Dino clapped him on the shoulder. "And I got a draft ready and everything. _Buuut._ "

Noctis should have expected this.

"Let me guess, you want me to go fetch your precious gems."

They had neared the farthest edge of the beach before the grass began to settle and Dino stopped. It was quieter, no noise from tourists, locals or children playing in the sand.

"You got it. But there's a catch."

Noctis looked up to the other and raised an eyebrow. "Is this one guarded by an Astral or something?"

Dino snorted and shook his head, meeting Noctis' eyes for a moment, then looking out to the darkening sea.

"Nah, though that'd be one helluva rock. I want you to pick something out. Can be anything, just as long as it's something you _really_ like."

That caught Noctis off guard.

"Uhh, that's unexpected. What if I just bring you any old thing?"

"You won't." The other looked down and softened his grin just by a bit. "I don't need to be a reporter to know you're not an asshole, and with all the shit I put you and ya boys through, you got heart, honesty, all that nice stuff."

Face a bit warm, Noctis turned away, scratching the back of his head.

"Well- I mean, it's not like we're doing it for free. You did black mail me on our first meet."

"Yeah right. I bet you'd do it for free."

Noctis' face further warmed at the fact. Another two pats on his shoulder and Dino slipped a small sheet of notepad paper into Noctis' hand.

"Remember. Somethin' you like."

Looking over the contents of the paper, it was a rather lengthy list. Many of the items had locations listed beside them, most of which Noctis recalled being the most dangerous places to be even in the brightest daylight. Dino wasn't kidding when he said it'd be special, and Noctis was curious himself as to what would come out of this assortment of raw materials.

When he looked back up, Dino was already walking back towards the hotel.

* * *

There had been differing opinions on the quest to fetch the assortment of items. But ultimately, Ignis and Gladio gave in. They had been running around, hunting for money for curatives and improved weaponry. In this case, they would just have to pick up the items when they got to them. Though it didn't make Steyliff Grove any less of a daunting trek.

Noctis tried really hard not to think about How Dino got a hold of his cell phone number, but he always seemed to know when to call and provide any extra instruction.

Through the nights with daemons, rain, and sore legs, the final request was entirely up to Noctis.

Something that he would like.

Noctis was far from being a lover of jewelry. Any and all adornments he wore had been pre-selected by the royal tailor who designed most of his absolutely custom made clothes. While Noctis was a lot more comfortable with a nice fitting t-shirt, jeans, and a nice hat, he had to look the part of a prince.

Should he try for something black? It was the family color. Maybe silver?

Night fell once more and all too soon. It was thankfully rain free, leaving the camping ground perfect for sitting by the fire, and feeding his giant feathered friend greens. He turned his gaze towards the sky, seeing the moon in its full splendor, eclipsing some stars in its radiance.

White.

White like the moon on a night just like this. Though it seemed like the world was going to Ifrit in a present box, he could still have nights like these under the stars.

"Hey Prompto?"

The blonde paused his petting of his own chocobo to look over.

"Yeah? What is it man?"

"I need you to take the perfect shot, of the moon."

Prompto nodded and retrieved his camera from his chair and looked around the area. They were on a high ground, and no trees blocked their view.

"Of course. Let me get this shot!"

Noctis listened as the shutter went off, though kept his eyes on the sky, memorizing the absolute opulence. Prompto's hand clasped one of Noctis' shoulder and he snaked the other around to show the image on the digital screen. Perfectly centered, perfectly shining and white. Noctis smiled and took the camera into his own hands.

"This is great, thanks."

"Feeling the romance of the stars and sky or something?" Gladio teased.

"We have been working hard to make our way to Altissia. Perhaps our Prince has been taken by a love sickness." Ignis followed.

The prince, though now more of a king, in question simply shook his head with a small laugh.

"Nah it's not that. Just... a nice color is all."

Prompto removed himself from around his friend's shoulder to stand and stretch.

"I mean, it is nice out. Taking a nature shot isn't so bad from time to time."

"Kweh!" the chocobo he rode called. The party then erupted into a hearty chuckle.

* * *

White agate was not an easy find. Its home was in Tenebrae, often sold in jewelry shops in Altissia and the most high end stores of Insomnia. And the closest to any of those in their current predicament were the Crestholm Channels.

The sewers smelled just as awful as their last visit, and the several hundred foot drops in cisterns with nothing but steel piping to break you before breaking your fall remained just as terrifying. But Noctis persisted. Shining his light on the sewage, hoping something- anything with the precious stone would be there.

Just as Prompto reached a new degree of nervous chatter to ward off his fears, Noctis found a stretch of waterway they had to have missed their first time through. There were no emergency lights down the path, making it that uncomfortable pitch black. The glimmer of ankle length water being their only guide. Noctis was quite sure Promtpto was on the verge of crying when he saw a flash of silver and something big and pale.

Noctis jogged closer to find a big, gaudy bracelet. At its center was the unmistakable white stone and well enough for a ring in itself.

"Guys- guys I found it!" Noctis called back to the others.

With their flashlights combined on the single item, it glowed bright, shining just as the moon did that night. Tidal waves of relief rushed against Noctis' body and he exhaled.

"Whoohoo! Finally!" Prompto cheered.

"Impressive find."

Gladio nodded in agreement with Ignis.

"Not even a caravan is gonna fix this. It's hotel time."

No one disagreed with Noctis on that.

* * *

Dino beheld the items in the light of early morning, which was still abnormally later than what it was supposed to be.

Noctis delivered them by himself, the others all attending to getting ready for the next time they set out. The other was silent, for once. No snide comments, teasing, or general smugness. Noctis watched as his heavy lashes obscured his eyes, flickering across each item.

When he seemed satisfied with his observations, he smiled. It wasn't a grin, Noctis didn't even know his face was capable of making such a serene expression. His gaze was softer, without any glint of mischievous in them. It was beginning to make Noctis slightly nervous.

"I truly, honestly appreciate this. I'll let ya know when it's done. Until then, here's somethin' to tide you and ya boys ova."

The younger took the small pouch that jingled when placed in the palm of his hand. It sounded like an assortment of jewelry. Something told Noctis that it would pale in comparison to whatever Dino had cooked up.

The next few days went by quietly. There were just a few more hunts between Galdin Quay and Hammerhead that needed to be finished up anyway.

When Noctis did receive word from Dino, it came in the form of a text and that he came alone. Under any other circumstance, with any other person, that should be alarming. People were out to kill him, and that number only increased as time went on. Though while Dino did send them out on missions that let them dance with death on more than several occasions, in the end, it wasn't a suicide run.

They had been through worse with Cindy.

* * *

On the promised date, the sky fought a losing battle against the darkness and deep violet mingled with glowing oranges. Stars littered the sky as the moon revealed its presence in the final moments of day. Galdin Quay was still as pleasantly lit as always, but Dino asked to meet where the illumination of the flood lights was at its most dim. Right between the board walk and open beach, an area for guests to enjoy the resort right in the sand.

Lamp light illuminated Dino's face as he sat with a black box in front of him. It was small, and looked to be of black velvet, the kind used with the finest of jewelry.

Noctis took note of the few civilians still out. Some sat out by the water, not minding the wet sand on their clothes. Noctis sat across from Dino, eying the box, then his calm smile.

It was cooler that night despite the usually pleasant warm weather. Noctis was glad that it wasn't raining at least.

Dino had been facing the water, then turned after a minute of silence to face Noctis.

"Well ya Highness, it's done. And, well, gotta say." He breathed. "This is it."

Noctis gave the other a questioning look.

"Kinda figured that from the box."

The other snorted. "Yeah, I guess so."

Straightening his back, Dino reached closer to his natural height, making Noctis feel smaller again. Gently, as thought handling the finest Altissian glass, he opened the box towards Noctis.

He'd be lying if he said it wasn't beautiful.

The band was black and lined with silver along the edges. At its center was a perfect circle of the white agate just about the size of his pinky nail. The stone was lined with something that looked like someone drew around he edge with a magic white gel pen. Hair strand thin silver details branched out symmetrically with a piece of different silver colored gems at its edges. It reminded Noctis of the royal decal his family used.

Dino took the ring from its plush confines and met Noctis's eyes.

"May I?"

Noctis hesitated, furrowing his brow and pursing his lips for a split second before complying. Dino didn't seem to want to hurt him anyway. Though he was still nervous as the man handled his left hand with the care of holding a chocobo chick, then slipped the ring onto his middle finger. Dino's other rings had their uses, but this one felt entirely different.

His shoulders felt lighter, their surroundings seemed brighter, and when watching Dino's eyes travel from his hand then up towards his eyes, there was a single second in which the world itself seemed to go quiet. Focusing on Dino, it was as though everything about him was in absolute clarity. The warmth of his hands made him feel grounded to the earth and secure, and there was the faint smell of cologne lost to the salty wind.

A brush of Dino's thumb traced a circle over the area around the ring. "Thanks. This really means a lot ta me. Make it look nice in tha papers will ya?"

Dino's fingers glided away from Noctis' with one last ghost of a touch as he stood.

"Better not lose it!" he called back.

Noctis watched him leave, eying the ring on his finger again. The black contrasted with his skin just as his clothes did but the white remained shining like the runes of the camp sites. The sky had gotten much darker and he lifted his hand next to the moon in the sky. It was as though the being was snatched from the sky, shrunk and placed on his finger.

Buzzing and beeping from his pocket startled Noctis out of his trance and he retrieved his phone.

"Yeah?" There was a pause. "Oh- sorry. I'm close, just at the beach. I'll be there in less than a minute. Yeah, I get it Specs."

Noctis hung up with a roll of his eyes and turned to the walkway expecting to see Dino walking along it, but he was gone. With a sigh, Noctis stood from his seat and began jogging towards the caravan.

For once, he was hoping the man would calm him again.


End file.
